State, local officials investigating fatal Oshkosh duplex fire

May 16, 2013

Officials continue to search for clues as to the cause of a fatal duplex fire Wednesday night at 1675 Ohio St. / JOE SIENKIEWICZ/Oshkosh Northwestern Media

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OSHKOSH — The state fire marshal's office and Oshkosh firefighters are investigating the cause of afire on Ohio Street that killed one person Wednesday night.

Two upstairs residents of the duplex at 1675 Ohio St. escaped through a window, and a third, trapped on the second floor, was rescued by firefighters. Firefighters said one of the three later died, and the other two are in stable condition. The four downstairs residents escaped the building on their own and had no injuries.

Oshkosh firefighters were dispatched at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, and when they arrived, saw fire coming from the bottom windows of the duplex, extending to the second floor.

Officials said 12 fire and rescue apparatus and 28 personnel responded to the scene. Neenah/Menasha Fire-Rescue and the Town of Algoma Fire Department were called for mutual aid to cover the rest of the city.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said John Holland, public information officer with the Oshkosh Fire Department. The state fire marshal's office is assisting with the investigation, which Holland said is not unusual when there is a fatality involved.

One nearby home received some damage to its siding as a result of the fire's extreme heat.

Firefighters hope to have determined a cause by the end of the day Thursday, Holland said, but it could take longer.